border dispute | Newsroom24x7

Newsroom24x7 Defence Desk

Lukung, Leh (Ladakh): India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today gave a firm warning to China and said: ” I have full faith and confidence in the Indian armed forces…if any power tries to set its eyes on even an inch of our territory and attack our national pride, we will respond adequately and give a befitting reply”

The Defence Minister was addressing Indian troops at ground zero on the forward post of Lukung, Leh in Ladakh on Friday 17 July.

Singh said that India will not forget the martyrdom of the soldiers who laid down their life for the cause of the nation while fighting the Chinese troops in the Galwan valley. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that their sacrifice will not go in vain.

Singh told the Indian troops that talks are on – both at the military and diplomatic levels – between India and China to settle the border dispute. Matter should be resolved but he cannot guarantee how far we will succeed, he said adding he can certainly give the assurance that no power on earth can claim even an inch of Indian territory.

Singh further said: “India is the only country that has conveyed the message of peace to the entire world and we have never attacked nor taken even an inch of another country’s territory. In fact we follow the tenet of “Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam” (वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम) – an ancient Indian philosophy that inculcates the understanding that the whole world is one family , the Minister said and this should not be construed as our weakness. We are not a weak nation. We have a Prime Minister who takes decisions.”

The Defence Minister also recalled the supreme sacrifice and paid glowin g tyributes to the Indian soldiers who had laid down their life during the Kargil War.

Newsroom24x7 Desk

New Delhi : National Conference President Farooq Abdullah revisited his experiments with freedom of expression a day earlier, and took it a step forward today when he said that the Indian forces, in his opinion, do not have the defence capability in them to shield an armor against terrorists and militants on the prowl. A day earlier, on Friday, Abdullah had stated that PoK (Pakistan occupied Kashmir) was with Pakistan and that war was not an option. Today, he made an effort to add clarification to his yesterday’s remarks, but spoke in the direction of same chain of thoughts. In his exact words, this is what the Former J and K CM stated — PoK will be a part of Pakistan, J&K will be a part of India. It is not something new that I have said. All of India’s forces can’t defend against terrorists and militants.

While political opinions across the board slammed Abdullah’s remarks, the Senior Abdullah found support from his son, Omar, the former J and K CM, who defended him saying that this was the long-standing belief of his father. Further, Abdullah added that the interaction between people across borders should be increased, instead of focusing on territorial disputes. He said, ‘People to people contact is essential. That is how fear is fought.’

India and Pakistan have fought three wars since independence and partition in 1947, two over Kashmir. The disputed frontier is one of the world’s most heavily militarized regions.Border clashes and ceasefire violations at the Line of Control also pose a constant risk of escalation of tension between the two countries.